Aeschylus

Aeschylus (c. 525/524 – c. 455 BCE) was an ancient Greek tragedian widely regarded as the father of tragedy. He expanded the role of the chorus and introduced the use of a second actor, enabling dialogue and more dynamic dramatic scenes. His work laid foundations for the later development of tragic theater in Athens.

Life and career: Born in Eleusis (or Athens) in the mid-6th century BCE, Aeschylus lived and worked in Athens during the early classical period. He is traditionally said to have fought in the Persian Wars, a background that informed some of his early plays. He competed at the City Dionysia, where tragedy triads were staged; ancient sources record his success at these festivals.

Works and legacy: Aeschylus wrote many plays, of which seven or more full works survive in varying degrees of completeness. His most celebrated surviving contribution is the Oresteia, a trilogy consisting of Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides, which traces vengeance and its legal resolution from kingly murder to the establishment of moral and judicial order. Other surviving works include The Persians, Seven Against Thebes, The Suppliants, and Prometheus Bound, among others. The exact attribution of some plays remains debated, and much of his œuvre survives only in fragments. The Oresteia is the only ancient Greek trilogy preserved in complete form.

Influence and death: Aeschylus’ innovations shaped ancient Greek tragedy and influenced later playwrights such as Sophocles and Euripides. His themes often address divine justice, fate, and human accountability. He died around 455 BCE, with later legends recounting that a falling tortoise, dropped by an eagle, killed him—an enduring myth reflecting his prominent status in antiquity.